The N18 billion in the 2023 Supplementary Budget, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), isn’t only for holding the three off-cycle elections.
During a Wednesday appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations to defend the commission’s budget, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, disclosed this.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the electoral board plans to hold bye-polls in a few Federation states as well as off-cycle elections in the states of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi.
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Yakubu claims that the supplemental budget includes the costs for the three off-cycle elections as well as the bye-elections.
The INEC chairman continued, saying that staff salaries and benefits are covered in part by the N18 billion budget.
He said: “You will recall that in April this year, there was a 40 percent increase in peculiar allowance of civil servants.
“It was not provided in our 2023 budget because the budget was passed in December last year.
“At the same time, there is another circular from the government dated February, where the Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and other consequential allowances were increased by the government. There is no provision in our statutory budget.
“We have over 15,000 staff, and it is not easy to find the money to pay without a supplementary budget. So, we made a case to the government, and we have been included.
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“For the 16,614 staff of INEC, it is N10.6 billion, and we have made provision for that.”
Yakubu continued by saying that there was not enough funding for the electoral commission to hold certain bye-elections.
Yakubu stated that INEC must hold by-polls to fill 11 vacancies, seven in the national assembly and four in state assemblies, and that there is not enough funding to hold the elections.
In order for the commission to concentrate on the ones that are funded, the INEC chairman expressed his hope that there won’t be another by-election.
He said: “Many honourable members have asked us: ‘In the House of Representatives, vacancies have been declared. Why has INEC not conducted by-elections?’ There are no budgetary provisions for the conduct of these unforeseen and unbudgeted by-elections.
“Not many people in Nigeria will believe that within four months after the inauguration of the national and state assemblies, 11 vacancies have occurred. Eleven bye-elections in four months. Unfortunately, the majority coming from the House of Representatives,” he said.
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“There are five vacancies in the House of Representatives. Two were caused by death, and three were caused by the resignation of honourable members.
“We have vacancies in four state constituencies across the country, and we have vacancies in two senatorial districts.
“And each time we conduct three senatorial bye-elections, it’s like conducting a governorship election because each state in Nigeria has only three senatorial districts.
“So we have to make provisions for the conduct of by-elections in 11 constituencies — five federal constituency, four state constituencies and two senatorial districts, and for that, we have an appropriation for N1.6 billion.”
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